Hand brakes in motor vehicles

ABSTRACT

A device for controlling the brakes of a vehicle including a handle mounted in a housing in the dashboard such that its outer surface is flush with the dashboard when the handle is in one position of operation.

United States Patent Grosseau HAND BRAKES IN MOTOR VEHICLES Inventor:Albert A. G. Grosseau, Chaville, France Assignee: Soclete AnonymeAutomobiles Citroen,

Paris, France Filed; Jan. 15, 1970 Appl. No.: 3,018

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 22, 1969 France ..69011ll u.s.Cl... ....74/ so3, 74/543 Int. Cl. ..G05g 1/10 Field of Search ..74 503,543

[ 51 June 27, 1972 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1939 Ericsonet al. ..74/503 6/1940 McCarthy... 9/1953 Gonsett .l 10/ 1969 PrimaryExaminer-William F. ODea Assistant Examiner-F. D. ShoemakerAttarneyward, McElhannon, Brooks & Fitzpatrick [57] ABSTRACT A devicefor controlling the brakes of a vehicle including a handle mounted in ahousing in the dashboard such that its outer surface is flush with thedashboard when the handle is in one position of operation.

1 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Biro ..74/503 X A variety of arrangementshave been made heretofore concerning the location of the handle foroperating the hand brake of motor vehicles.

One of these arrangements, which is particularly favorable from thepoint of view of safety, consists in moving the handle away from thecentral zone of the vehicle, locating it near one of the sides of thevehicle, i.e. on the left for vehicles with lefthand drive, and on theright for vehicles with right-hand drive. In this way, the handle is outof reach of passengers, allows easy control from the outside of thevehicle and, of course, relieves congestion in the central space insidethe vehicle.

It has now been'found that recent modifications in motor cardevelopment, particularly those concerning safety, have raisednewquestions, the solutions to which make the arrangement of the handledescribed hereinabove less advantageous than before. Thus, the generaluse of safety belts comprising three points of attachment has limitedthe mobility of the driver. In particular, after having buckled hissafety belt, he finds it practically impossible to move his shouldernearest the outside of the vehicle and therefore to reach the brakehandle, since two of the three points of attachment of the beltare'arranged on at least one of the side elements of the interior of thevehicle. I

Accordingly, we have been prompted by this state of affairs toreconsider the known arrangements and to envisage disposition of thehandle on the side of the driver's shoulder which remains partly mobile,i.e. on the side of the shoulder located in the central zone of thevehicle. The new arrangement therefore consists in disposing the handlein the dashboard of the vehicle and preferably in the central zonethereof, thus contributing an overall structure which eliminates therisks involved prior to the invention.

The present invention therefore has for its object a device forcontrolling the hand brake of a motor vehicle, comprising a maneuvringhandle connected through a control rod to-the brakes, and cooperatingwith a member for locking it in braking position. The shape of thehandle is configured in a housing formed in the dashboardso as to beembedded therein when in the release position, said dashboard beingdisengaged in the vicinity of the prehension zone of the handle.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the section of thehandle is substantially identical to that of a fillet, which is mountedin two parts on the dashboard, on eitherside of the handle in brakerelease position.

Moreover, it is advantageous if the handle supports a lever forcontrolling the locking member in the prehension zone of the handle.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front part of the interior of avehicle provided with a device for controlling the hand brake inaccordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view, partly in section and partly in plan, of a device forcontrolling the hand brake, according to the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows the dashboard l of a vehiclecomprising instruments 2. This dashboard is advantageously provided withfillets such as the upper fillet 3 and/or the lower fillet composed oftwo parts 4a and 4b. In the central zone of the dashboard l, interposedbetween parts 4a and 4b of the lower fillet, so as to ensure asubstantial continuity of the shape of said fillet, is arranged thehandle 5 for operating the hand brake. The handle is shown at 5, insolid lines, in the position corresponding to the inoperative or brakerelease, position, and at 5, in broken lines, in the positioncorresponding to the braking of the vehicle.

FIG. 2 illustrates a detail of this embodiment, showing parts 4a and 4bof the lower fillet, and the handle 5. This handle comprises moreespecially a recess 6, a prehension zone 7 and a rear part 8 oppositethe prehension zone. This rear part 8 is unitary with the control rod 9of the hand brake. A brake gear 10 for locking the brake isadvantageously connected to the handle 5 by means of a lever 11articulated to the rear part 8 about an axis 12. The end 11a of thelever is fixed to the brake gear 10, while the end 11b of the same leveris articulated to a plate '13 mounted to slide in the handle. The axis12 is arranged between the ends lla and 11b. A trigger 14 is disposed inthe prehension zone 7 and is integral with the plate 13. A return spring15 holds the trigger 14 in a certain position from which it may beremoved by being pulled in the direction opposite that of the action ofthe spring 15.

It will have been noted, particularly with reference to FIG.

1, that the access to the recess 6 of the handle 5 and therefore to theprehension zone 7 has been facilitated by-grouping the instruments 2 ina zone of the dashboard other than that where the handles, is located.In other words, the dashboard I has been judiciously cleared ofinstruments and the like in the vicinity of the prehension zone 7.

The advantages adhieved by the above-described arrangement of a deviceaccording to the invention are several.

Firstly, the driver may maneuver the hand brake by pulling the handle 5on the side of his body which remains partially mobile, even after hissafety belt has been fastened.

The drawback constituted by the bulk in the central space of thedashboard is completely eliminated, since the handle 5 is integrated,when the brake is in inoperative position, with the dashboard litself,.or with the fillet 4a, 4b unitary with said dashboard 1. In thisposition, the handle 5 has no dangerous projecting part, this furtherincreasing the safety of the vehicle.

Moreover, it will be noted that the continuity in the shape of thefillet 4a, 4b and handle 5 contributes to the aesthetics of thedashboard l.

The marking of the braking position will also be noted, this beingperfectly ensured since, when thehandle is located at 5', it isdisengaged very visibly from the fillet 4a, 4b.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just beendescribed. It covers on the contrary all the modifications that may bemade thereto, without departing from the scope thereof. In particular,the device may be adapted to a right-hand drive car.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for controlling the handbrake of a vehicle having adashboard formed with fillet means, which comprises: an operating handleconnected to vehicle braking means and means for locking said brakingmeans in braking position, said handle being adapted to occupy at leasttwo distinct positions corresponding respectively to completeapplication and complete release of said braking means; a housingmounted in said dashboard emerging in the surface thereof through anopening in said fillet means, said handle when in one of said positionsbeing contained in said housing and being configured so that its outersurface is flush with said fillet means, and said handle being at leastpartially projected from said dashboard when in another of saidpositions.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said housinginterrupts said fillet means.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said handle comprises agripping area constructed and arranged to be positioned within saidhousing when said handle is in one of said positions, and a controlmember, constituting part of said means for locking the braking means isattached to said handle in such manner as to also be positioned withinsaid housing when said handle is in one of said positions.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said control member is a lockrelease trigger attached to said handle for actuation by an operator inthe act of prehension of said handle.

fi l l t 1!

1. A device for controlling the handbrake of a vehicle having adashboard formed with fillet means, which comprises: an operating handleconnected to vehicle braking means and means for locking said brakingmeans in braking position, said handle being adapted to occupy at leasttwo distinct positions corresponding respectively to completeapplication and complete release of said braking means; a housingmounted in said dashboard emerging in the surface thereof through anopening in said fiLlet means, said handle when in one of said positionsbeing contained in said housing and being configured so that its outersurface is flush with said fillet means, and said handle being at leastpartially projected from said dashboard when in another of saidpositions.
 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that saidhousing interrupts said fillet means.
 3. A device according to claim 1,wherein said handle comprises a gripping area constructed and arrangedto be positioned within said housing when said handle is in one of saidpositions, and a control member, constituting part of said means forlocking the braking means is attached to said handle in such manner asto also be positioned within said housing when said handle is in one ofsaid positions.
 4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said controlmember is a lock release trigger attached to said handle for actuationby an operator in the act of prehension of said handle.